Down Home and Deadly

and picked up a phone. He punched a button and spoke in a low tone, “Jenna Stafford to see you, Chief.” He looked disappointed at the response but waved me toward the inner sanctum. “Go on in.”
    John, writing at his desk, looked up when I walked into his office. “Hey, Jenna. What can I do for you?”
    I cleared my throat. I needed to get a grip o n this situation quickly if I wanted it to go as I planned. I slipped into the seat across from him. “I want to make a deal with you,” I began.
    He held up his hand in the tradition of traffic cops everywhere and half smiled. “If you’re going to tell me who you think the murderer is, I’d rather you didn’t.”
    “No. I don’t know who did it,” I said quickly. “But I do have a problem connected with the murder. In a way. Only it’s not , really. But you think it is.”
    “Instead of telling me what I think, why don’t you tell me what you’re talking about.” John leaned back in his high - backed leather chair and crossed his arms across his chest.
    I took a deep breath. “Here’s the thing. The cell phone you’re looking for is in my purse.”

Chapter Seventeen

    If you can’t hunt with the big dogs, stay on the porch .

    John slapped his forehead , and red crept up his neck. “Why am I not surprised?” He held out his hand. “Where did you get it?”
    I nudged my purse under my chair with one foot. “That’s actually a funny story.”
    He wasn’t laughing. “Save the story and just tell me where you got it.”
    “It was in the garbage, of all places.”
    “You know what, Jenna? Let me have the phone ; then you can tell me, in little bits and pieces or however you want to, all about finding it.” He snapped his fingers lightly.
    “Wait. I need you to promise me something first.”
    This time he was the one who drew a deep breath. In fact, I thought I heard him counting under his breath. Patience is a virtue. Maybe he was developing his. “I don’t make promises, and I don’t make deals. This is not television. Hand. Over. The. Phone. Now.”
    “Well, I did make a promise. I promised the person who had this phone that I’d talk to you about it before you made any rash decisions.”
    He pushed himself out of his chair and put his palms on the desk. “What I do with information received and pertinent to an ongoing investigation is not your affair. Give me the phone.”
    I leaned back instinctively. “The person who had this has a really good alibi for the time of the murder. I don’t think she could possibly have killed J.D. , but there is some information on the phone that could do her harm.”
    He took pity on me. Or else he was just sick of having me in his office.
    “Jenna, give me a little credit. If this isn’t helpful, we won’t use it. And I have yet to make information public in a current investigation.” His hand was still stretched toward me. “Who had the phone? Whose garbage was it in? And how did you end up with it?”
    “I was gathering garbage at the diner when I spotted something. I fished around and found the phone. At first, I thought it was mine. It’s exactly like mine, so that was a natural assumption.” I looked at him to try and gauge his reaction.
    Stone - faced.
    “Anyway, when I went to check a message from Alex, there were several messages I didn’t recognize. Then I found my phone in my purse.”
    “So who does the phone belong to?” He held out his hand. “Never mind. Just let me have the phone , and I’ll find out.”
    “I’d like to.” I glanced at his unyielding face. “The thing is, the person who had this phone doesn’t want Lisa to know that she had it.”
    “This phone is evidence in a murder investigation. So far I’ve purposely avoided asking you how long ago you found it. But you don’t even want to know what it would be like if you’re charged with withholding evidence or being an accessory to murder.” John glared at me. “Tell me what you know and quit playing games.”
    “Ok ay .” I caved. “J.D. and Debbie were just starting to see each other behind Lisa’s back. Debbie doesn’t want Lisa to find out.” I reached down and picked up my purse. “They were planning to tell Lisa , but then he got killed.”
    “Or J.D. went ahead and told Lisa , and she got mad and shot him , ” John murmured. He looked quickly at me. “Ignore that. I was just thinking aloud.”
    I didn’t like the direction his thoughts were going. “I thought Lisa had an alibi